The latest coverage

Candidates

Pat McPherson

Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District board of directors, 1978-82.

Education

Bachelor's degree, Creighton University.

Family

Single; no children

Faith

Catholic

Key issue

My goal is to continue to bring a business-like approach to the board as we implement our strategic plan to assure equity for every Nebraska child and close learning gaps. We must bring together and engage stakeholders, and just as importantly parents, to meet the challenges of the future. This will produce career-ready students to go on to college or pursue other post-secondary learning that will assure them opportunities to achieve success and become productive Nebraska citizens. I’ll continue to implement our strategic plan to provide great schools and opportunities for our children to learn and grow in a safe environment.

Deborah Neary

Bachelor's degree, history, and master's degree, history with a minor in public administration, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Family

Married

Faith

Catholic

Key issue

The most urgent role of the NDE Board is to find ways to close achievement gaps — and provide teachers the supports they need to be successful in this goal. I will advocate for innovative measures that strengthen our public schools, uphold state standards, and continue the tradition of taxpayer oversight via elected school board members. I will also advocate for supportive and safe school climates so students and teachers have less to fear regarding gun violence. I will encourage emphasis on preparedness and pre-incident assessment strategies, and advocate that schools have behavioral health support systems necessary to be successful.

Voter info

» Register in person at an election commission office, the DMV, or in Douglas County, any of Omaha’s 12 library branches.

Registration questions

Visit www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov to check whether you’re registered to vote and find your polling place. If you think you should be able to vote at a polling place but there’s a problem with the registration, request to fill out a provisional ballot. The election commission will collect them and then has a week to verify whether you are eligible to vote.

To see a sample ballot

See a sample ballot from the Nebraska Secretary of State website here.

To find your district

Visit votercheck.necvr.ne.gov and look up your registration info or polling place to find a list of the political districts you live in.

Important dates

Oct. 1: First day for early voting ballots to be mailed.
Oct. 9: First day to vote early in person at election commission office.
Oct. 19: Deadline to register to vote online, by mail, at agencies, at the DMV office, by deputy registrar or by registration form that’s delivered to the election office by someone other than the person registering
Oct. 26: Deadline for in-person voter registration at election commission office, 6 p.m. Deadline for early voting ballots to be requested to be mailed to a specific address, 6 p.m. Deadline for write-in candidates to file notarized affidavit and filing fee with filing officer.
Nov. 5: Deadline for in-person early voting at election commission office, 5 p.m. (Sarpy County office closes at 4:45 p.m.)
Nov. 6: Election Day! Polls open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. 7 p.m.: Deadline for agent to pick up early voting ballot. 8 p.m.: Deadline to return early voting ballot to election commission office or drop box location
Nov. 13: Deadline for verification of provisional ballots

Here are the Douglas County drop box locations, opening in early October: